Sinhala colonists in Kokku’laay violate interim order from Mullaiththeevu courts

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 May 2017, 23:04 GMT]The encroaching Sinhala fishermen along the disputed coastal strip of Kokku’laay in Mullaiththeevu were engaged in fishing disregarding the interim order of the courts on Monday. The intruding Sinhala fishermen assisted by the occupying SL Navy in civil were covering their faces and heads from identification. Following complaints from the native fishermen, Village (GS) officers and the officials from the Divisional Secretariat of Karai-thu’raip-pattu rushed to the locality to witness the conduct of the occupying Sinhala fishermen.

The intruders were covering their faces and heads with clothing to avoid photographic evidence, journalists from Mullaiththeevu who documented the conduct of Sinhala fishermen said.

With the backing of occupying Sinhala Navy, SL Police and the Fisheries Department in Colombo, the Sinhala fishermen are attempting to fully occupy the coast of Kokku’laay and Naayaa’ru, completely discriminating the Tamil fishermen of the village.

The Sinhala fishermen were also deploying tractors to draw large draw-nets, scooping the fishing ecosystem along the coast. The native fishermen complain that the method is illegal and destructive to the ecosystem.

The court in Mullaiththeevu on 24 March issued an interim order for both the Tamil and Sinhala fishermen, instructing both the parties not to engage in fishing until the next hearing, which was scheduled on 04 May.

In the meantime, the fisheries society of Tamil fishermen has lodged a complaint with the SL Police.

The officials who witnessed the conduct of the Sinhala fishermen said they would bring the violation to the attention of the court.

Following video recorded on 18 April exposes the belligerent conduct of Sinhala colonists, who went to the extent of violent threat against the Tamil officials from Mullaiththeevu District Secretariat, Land Commission and Village Officers (GS) of Kokku’laay East and West, when they were instructed by the courts to conduct surveying of a disputed fishing vaadi area.

A follow-up video recorded on 19 April, documents the reaction of Tamil families and their provincial councillor T. Ravikaran:

“The countries that promoted SL State with giving more time and space at Geneva are complicit in the structural genocide against Eezham Tamils. You are all joining hands in destroying us. Tamils will be completely losing the coast of Mullaiththeevu within two years. The IC should not delay any further in bringing international justice,” Mr Ravikaran said in the video interview.

Following video, which narrates the experience of a Tamil fisherman, was recorded in January 2017: